Dissociative Disorders Treatment

The goals of treatment for dissociative disorders are to help the patient safely recall and process painful memories, develop coping skills, and in the case of dissociative identity disorder, to integrate the different identities into one functional person. It is important to note that there is no drug that deals directly with treating dissociation itself. Rather, medications are used to combat additional symptoms that commonly occur with dissociative disorders.

Psychotherapy

Different psychotherapies are used to treat dissociative episodes to decrease symptom frequency and improve coping strategies for the experience of dissociation. Some of the more common therapies include:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps change the negative thinking and behavior associated with depression. The goal of this therapy is to recognize negative thoughts and to teach coping strategies.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. It combines the CBT techniques of re-learning thought patterns with visual stimulation exercises to access traumatic memories and replace the associated negative beliefs with positive ones.

Find more details about psychotherapy at the national NAMI organization website.

About NAMI Washtenaw County

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Washtenaw County is a non-profit organization and a local affiliate of the national NAMI and NAMI Michigan, that aims to improve the lives of persons affected by mental illness. Individuals with these biological disorders, their families and mental health professionals, and the broader community can all benefit from the organization’s mission.